Chicago Audubon Society

Chicago bid alliance supports an expanding slate of educational programs, conservation and birdwalks that includes many parts of the region and diverse demographic groups. Programs targeting people with disabilities and people interested in local bird conservation have been added to our already large slate. A few of our key accomplishments include the following: hired an education intern stationed at montrose beach to educate beach goers about piping plovers and other shorebirds whose habitat needs monitoring and protection; supported new birders and birding groups by giving away spotting scopes and binoculars through the bird gear exchange program; organized the urban birding festival, which engaged over 400 participants in bird outings, presentations, and social gatherings; organized the chicago bird photography contest that celebrated birds in chicago with a photo exhibition; recruited volunteer bird monitors to save nesting grassland birds at techny basin conservation area in glenview, il; and led a task force to address the use of rodenticide in the city and research solutions to make urban environments safer for birds. Our ongoing programs include the environmental awards dinner, the washington park hummingbird garden and the river park habitat restoration.

Lights out and bird friendly chicago are two initiatives dedicated to reducing bird mortality at buildings. The alliance collaborates with the chicago building owners and managers' association on lights out, a program to extinguish decorative exterior lighting and lobby lights to save birds during migration. In partnership with other local birding organizations, the alliance operates bird friendly chicago to educate about bird friendly design measures in chicago.